RESTRICTED WT/TPR/S/386 13 February 2019 (19-0825) Page: 1/83 Trade Policy Review Body TRADE POLICY REVIEW REPORT BY THE SECRETARIAT SAMOA This report, prepared for the first Trade Policy Review of Samoa, has been drawn up by the WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility. The Secretariat has, as required by the Agreement establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization), sought clarification from Samoa on its trade policies and practices. Any technical questions arising from this report may be addressed to Masahiro Hayafuji (Tel: 022 739 5873); Thomas Friedheim (Tel: 022 739 5083) and Michael Kolie (Tel: 022 739 5931). Document WT/TPR/G/386 contains the policy statement submitted by Samoa. Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the first session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Samoa. This report was drafted in English. WT/TPR/S/386 • Samoa - 2 - CONTENTS SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 6 1 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ....................................................................................... 10 1.1 Main Features of the Economy ................................................................................... 10 1.2 Recent Economic Developments ................................................................................. 12 1.3 Developments in Trade and Investment ...................................................................... 15 1.3.1 Trends and patterns in merchandise and services trade .............................................. 15 1.3.2 Trends and patterns in foreign direct investment (FDI) ............................................... 18 2 TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES.......................................................................... 19 2.1 General Framework .................................................................................................. 19 2.2 Trade Policy Formulation and Objectives ...................................................................... 19 2.3 Trade Agreements and Arrangements ......................................................................... 20 2.3.1 WTO .................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.2 Regional and preferential agreements ...................................................................... 21 2.3.2.1 Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) ................................................... 21 2.3.2.2 Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus .................................. 22 2.3.3 Preferential agreements ......................................................................................... 22 2.3.3.1 South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA) ........ 22 2.3.3.2 General System of Preferences (GSP) .................................................................... 22 2.3.3.3 European Union .................................................................................................. 22 2.4 Investment Regime .................................................................................................. 23 3 TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE ....................................................... 26 3.1 Measures Directly Affecting Imports ............................................................................ 26 3.1.1 Customs procedures, valuation, and requirements ..................................................... 26 3.1.2 Rules of origin ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1.3 Tariffs .................................................................................................................. 27 3.1.3.1 Applied MFN tariffs .............................................................................................. 27 3.1.3.2 Tariff bindings .................................................................................................... 29 3.1.3.3 Preferential tariffs ............................................................................................... 30 3.1.3.4 Tariff exemptions ................................................................................................ 30 3.1.4 Other charges affecting imports ............................................................................... 30 3.1.5 Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing .......................................................... 33 3.1.6 Anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures .............................................. 35 3.1.7 Other measures affecting imports ............................................................................ 35 3.2 Measures Directly Affecting Exports ............................................................................ 35 3.2.1 Registration, customs procedures and requirements................................................... 35 3.2.2 Taxes, charges, and levies ...................................................................................... 35 3.2.3 Export prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing ........................................................... 36 3.2.4 Export support and promotion ................................................................................. 36 3.2.5 Export finance, insurance, and guarantees ................................................................ 36 WT/TPR/S/386 • Samoa - 3 - 3.3 Measures Affecting Production and Trade ..................................................................... 36 3.3.1 Incentives ............................................................................................................. 36 3.3.2 Standards and other technical requirements ............................................................. 37 3.3.3 Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements .................................................................. 38 3.3.3.1 Food safety ........................................................................................................ 38 3.3.3.2 Veterinary and phytosanitary measures ................................................................. 39 3.3.4 Competition policy and price controls ....................................................................... 40 3.3.4.1 Competition policy .............................................................................................. 40 3.3.4.2 Price controls...................................................................................................... 41 3.3.5 State trading, state-owned enterprises, and privatization ........................................... 43 3.3.5.1 State trading enterprises ..................................................................................... 43 3.3.5.2 SOEs and privatization ......................................................................................... 44 3.3.6 Government procurement ....................................................................................... 45 3.3.7 Intellectual property rights ...................................................................................... 48 4 TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR .................................................................................... 54 4.1 Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries ............................................................................. 54 4.1.1 Agriculture ............................................................................................................ 54 4.1.1.1 Institutional and legal framework .......................................................................... 55 4.1.1.2 Domestic support ................................................................................................ 55 4.1.1.3 Export subsidies ................................................................................................. 55 4.1.1.4 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) ........................................................................... 56 4.1.2 Forestry ................................................................................................................ 56 4.1.3 Fisheries ............................................................................................................... 57 4.2 Mining and Energy .................................................................................................... 58 4.2.1 Mining .................................................................................................................. 58 4.2.2 Energy ................................................................................................................. 58 4.2.2.1 Electricity ........................................................................................................... 59 4.2.2.2 Petroleum .......................................................................................................... 60 4.3 Manufacturing .......................................................................................................... 61 4.4 Services .................................................................................................................. 61 4.4.1 Financial services ................................................................................................... 61 4.4.1.1 Banking ............................................................................................................